BUILT raises $2M pre-seed to launch natural-movement footwear for India

D2C footwear startup BUILT secured $2M in a pre-seed round led by Tanglin Venture Partners, with angel backing from Bharat Kalia. The brand is betting on India's nascent barefoot-shoe category, positioning natural-movement footwear for domestic consumers.

— Filed Tue, 14 Jul, 2026, 15:44 IST · Source YourStory · Capital · Updated

Footwear D2C startup BUILT raised $2M pre-seed led by Tanglin Venture Partners with angel Bharat Kalia, to build a natural-movement footwear brand for the Indian market—a nascent barefoot-shoe category. Other roundup items are non-retail (fintech, edtech, deeptech, TCS airport tech).

Why this matters

BUILT's $2M pre-seed, led by Tanglin Venture Partners with Bharat Kalia backing, marks its entry into India's emerging barefoot-shoe category with natural-movement footwear.

Retail-brand signals are accelerating, up +298200% QoQ.

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